humes



3 Sheets-Sheet' 1.

8 lNvENToR:

(No Model.)

J. J.R. HUMES.

HYDROORBURETBD AIR ENGINE.v

No. 400,850. Patented Apr. 2, 1880.

wlTN ESSES;

By his Attal-nel (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. J. R. HUMBS. HYDROGARBURBTBD AIR ENGNB.

No. 400,850. Patented Apr. 2, 1880.

. FIG.2.

INVENTQR By his zorney N. PETERS. Pnaxumngmphor. washingmn. o. c;

(No Model.) s sheets-sheet 3,

J. J. R. HUMES- HYDROGARBURBTED AIR ENGINE.

No. 400,850. Patented Apr. 2, 18.89,-

, lNv-ENTOR; WITNESSES: W @szsmwmm ma@ By his .orney @M7 @my UNITED STATES lPATENT OEEI-CE.

JOHN JOSEPH REVELEY HUMES, OF OAMBERVELL, COUNTY OF SURREY,

' ENGLAND.

HYDROCARBURETED-AIR ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,850, dated April 2, 1889.

Application led March 8,1887. Serial No. 230,098. (No model.) Patented in England September 4, 1886, No. 11,269; in Germany PehruaryZS, 1887, No. 21,510; in PranceMarch 3, 1887, No. 181,939 in Belgium March 5, 1887,1To. 76,589; in Ganada. May 20, 1887, 110.114,330; in India August 27, 1887, No. 153; in Italy February 25, 1888, No. 3; in Spain May 10,

1888, No. 7,805, and in Ceylon May 24,1888.

To @ZZ when@ it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JOSEPH REVELEY HUMES, engineeig-a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 1-8 Lilford Road, Oamberwell, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in and applicable to Hydrocarbureted-Air Engines, (for which patents have been granted in Great Britain, dated September 4,1886,No. 11,269; in Germany, dated February 23, 1887, No. 21,510; in Italy February 25,1888,No. 3; in France March 3,1887, No. 181,939; in Belgium March 5, 1887, No. 76,589; in Spain May 10, 1888, No. 7,805; in Canada May 20, 1887, No. 44,330; in Ceylon May 24, 1888, and in British India August 27, 1887, No.153,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor-engines operated by the combustion of hydrocarbureted air, and particularly to such engines of this class as employ means for heating the charge of mixed air and vapor, and which have means for relieving' the pressure in the cylinder at starting.

The novel features of my invention will be hereinafter fully described, and carefully defined in the claims.

And in order that the mode of carrying the invention into effect may be fully understood, I Will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a general sectional elevation of an engine embodying my improvements, and Fig. 1 is an end View of the vapor-chamber O and appurtenances. Figs. 2 and 3 are detached and enlarged views illustrating certain features of the mechanism to be hereinafter described. Fig. 4 is a vieW on a larger scale, showing the lamp for heating the gases in sectional elevation. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the reversing mechanism. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional View of the device for preventing back ignition of the mixed air and hydrocarbon vapor.

The form of engine represented in side ele- Vation and part section in Fig. 1 is selected f for the purpose of illustration as embodying the various features of my invention or adapted for use therewith, the same being operated by the combustion of liquid hydrocarbon, in most respects as described in the specification to Letters Patent granted to me and dated October 5, 1886, No. 350,200.

A is the motor-cylinder, B the connectingrod, O the crank, and D the crank-shaft. The latter is carried in bearings E, and is provided with a Iiy-wheel, F. Upon the crankshaft D is secured a spur-pinion, G, which, through the intervention of a spur-Wheel, H, drives the shaft J at half the speed of the crank-shaft. From the shaft J is operated a pump (of the usual kind and not shown in the drawings) for compressing air arid delivering same by the pipe l to the reservoir M, in which the liquid hydrocarbon-assumed in the present instance to consist of petroleum-is stored. Air and petroleum respectively pass by way of the pipes m m to the vaporizer N, and, having been mixed, enter the vapor-chamber O in the form of vapor or air permeated with liquid petroleum in a state of minute subdivision, the mixture being there heated by means hereinafter more fully described. An additional quantity of air is admitted to the vapor-chamber O, such air also being by preference heat-ed, as'hereinafter explained. The combustible mixture passes from the vapor-chamber O through a device, P, (for preventing the iniammation extending back from the motor-cylinder t) the vapor-chamber,) and is drawn by Way of the pipe p past a self-acting valve, a', into the motor-cylinder A, where, after being compressed, it is ignited by means of an electric spark or otherwise. In the Avalve-chamber a* there is also arranged an exhaust-valve, a2,

centric mounted on the shaft J.

The air-pump I employ is or may be precisely the same as that illustrated and described in my former patent, No. 350,200, and

' operated by means of the rod Q from an ec---f"` previously to being fired the resistance to be overcome in turning the engine by hand is considerable, and increases with the size thereof. "With a view to facilitating the starting of such engines, I provide means whereby a portion of the charge may be released from the motor or other compressing cylinder' while the piston is performing` what in ordinary working would constitute its compress ing stroke. Assuming this feature of my invention to be applied to an engine of the type hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. l, I mount near the extremity of the reciprocating rod Q, operating the exhaust-valve lever, mechanism such as represented in Figs. Q and 3, whereof the former is an end view of the motor-cylinder, while the latter shows the exhaust-valve lever and the mechanism for actuating the same from the rod Q in side elevation. In these iigures, A is the motor-cylinder, a the valve-chest, while a indicates the position of the inlet-valve and d? that of the exhaust-valve. n is a rocking lever, mounted by preference on an adjusta ble pivot, fr', and furnished at one extremity with an adjustable stop, r2, for the reciprocating rod Q to act against. The opposite extremity of the lever fu engages with the spindle of the exhaust-valve d2, and serves to open the latter against the resistance of a spring. (Not shown in the drawings.)

The apparatus for enablinga portion of the charge to be released from the motor-cylinder while the engine is being' started consists of a rocking lever, w, one arm of which bears against the exhaust-valve lever fu and holds the valve open during the time that its opposite end is engaged behind a pin, fr', project ing laterally from a body, 5c, mounted upon the extremity of the rod Q. The body is furnished with a weighted lever, a?, whereby 'it may be rotated a portion of a revolution. In the position represented in the drawings the pin x is in gear with the lever 1U; but when the handle is thrown over to the position indicated bythe dotted lines the pin a." moves free of the lever w, the latter remain ing inoperative. During the regular working of the engine the lever zu occupies the position last referred to; but at starting it is subjected to the action of the rod Q, with the result that when thc rod moves forward the exhaust-valvc is opened, and as the rod approaches the end of its stroke in the opposite direction it engages with t-he lever w and again opens the exhaust-valve, the latter op eration coinciding with the period during which compression of the charge would in or- Adinary working take place.

'lhedevice I have just described forms an automatic pressure-1'eliever for the engine, adapted to be utilized temporarily at any time, and fully under the control of the engineer.

The device hereinbefore referred to, and lettered I in FiO. l, for preventing the ind lflammation incidental to the combustion of the charge in a hydrocarlnlreted air engine spreading from the cylinder or other chamber in which ignition takes place to the vessel whence the said charge is drawn, is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7, which is a longitudinal section of the device on a large scale, and it consists of a tube or passage filled with wires P', of small diameter and disposed longitudinally. Under ordinary circumstances I [ind a passage of from fifteen to twenty centimeters in length completely charged with longitudinally-arran ged wires of about one millimeter diameter adapted for the purpose. The gas or other inflammable fluid on its way to the eXplosioil-chamber traverses the narrow interstices between the wires.

Devices for the prevention of back ignition constructed similar to that illustrated in Fig. 7 have before been employed in gas-engines, and I make no claim to the device herein. Their operation is too well known to require description.

In applying hydrocarbureted-air engines for actuating machinery or` apparatus the action whereof requires to be frequently reversed, ihe stopping of the engine itself and the restarting thereof in the opposite direction of rotation are attended with considerable inconvenience. 'Vitha view to overcoming this objection I interpose between the crank-shaft of the engine and the shaft communicating the power to the machinery or apparatus driven means whereby the direction of rotation of the latter shaft (hereinafter termed the first-motion shaft) may be reversed, while that appertaining to the crank-shaft of the engine in normal working is preserved.

For reversing the direction of rotation of the iirstfmotion shaft when arranged in line with the crank-shaft, I employ means of the kind represented in Figs. 5 and @,these being views taken at right angles to one another, the latter being part-ly in section. Dis the engineshaft or a shaft coupled thereto, the same revolving in one direction only. D is a shaft in line therewith and required to be rotated in either direction. rotating the shaft D in the same direction as the shaft D, a friction or otherlcoupling, (l, is employed to connect the extremities of the two shafts. "hile the clutch is in gear the secondary shaft is driven direct; but upon the clutch being thrown out of gear by means of the hand-lever CZ or otherwise the shaft D becomes disengaged and inoperative, although the engine may continue in action. Secondly, for rotating the shaft D in the reverse direction, the clutch (Z remains out of use, and a train of gearing is brought by means of the clutch d (actuated by lever (1) into operation. This mechanism comprises a subsidiary shaft, D?, mounted parallel with the main shaft, and furnished with two pinions, d* d5, one of these, d, gearing with a spur-wheel, d, formed on or attached to the f1'eelymountcd members of the clutch (lli on First, for

IOO

IIO

ylo

the main shaft, while the other pinion, d5, engages with an internally-geared toothed Wheel, (Z7, freely mounted on the shaft D but capable of being coupled thereto through a clutch, d8. If preferred, the spur-wheel d6 and the internally-geared Wheel dT may be transposed. The strikinggear and clutches are preferably arranged and operated in such a manner as primarily to disconnect the shaft D from the shaft D, and subsequently. to bring into action the clutches d2 and d8, whereby the motion of the shaft D is transmitted in a reverse direction to the shaft D through the train of gearing d3 d4 d5 (Z7. Under such circumstances the shafts D and D are entirely disconnected When the lever d is at mid-stroke. By suitably proportioning the train of gearing the speed of the shaft D when running in the reverse direction may be less than, equal to, or greater than that of the shaft D.

My improvements, specially applicable lo hydrocarbureted-air engines of the class in' which the fuel is supplied in a liquid state, comprise means for heating the inflammable charge previously to its admission to the mo tor-cylinder or other comb ustion-chamber, the liquid, or a considerable portion thereof, being thereby volatilized and the subsequent ignition of the mixture expedited and rendered more certain. Vith this obj ect I apply to the vessel O, hereinbefore alluded to with reference to Fig. l as the vapor-chamber, the heat derived from a lamp, R, or other couvenient but independent heating apparatus, or from the Waste gases after escaping from the cylinder, or preferably' from both these sources, the former being principally intended for use in starting the engine and the latter for use during regular Work.

The vapor-chamber O may be provided internally with a coil, S, or other heating pipes or passa-ges, through which the Waste gases are led from the exhaust-pipe s. The vaporchamber may also be furnished with a casing or jacket, S', within which the heat from the lamp R circulates.

According to an alternative method of construction and working, the waste gases are conveyed to the jacket and the heat from the lamp conducted through the internal coil, tubes, or passages; or the jacket of the vaporchambermay be formed in two or more compartments, the waste gases traversing one or more of such compartments, while the remaining compartment or compartments is or are reserved for the reception of the heated gases generated by the lamp; or the vapor-chamber may consist of two or more tubes or receptacles, one or more of such tubes being heated from one of the sources described and the other or others from the other source, the vapor being caused to traverse both tubes or series of tubes, and thus to become heated, Whether the Waste gases or the lamp be in operation for the purpose; or the vapor-chamber may be traversed by two tubes or series of tubes or passages, one tube or series of tubes conveying the Waste gases and the other tube or series of tubes the heat from the lamp. After the exhaust or waste gases have been conducted through, around, or past the vaporchamber, they may be conduct-ed to another vessel traversed by a coil through which air is conveyed to the vaporizer or to the vaporchamber or to the motor-cylinder, according to the system of working employed.

The arrangement of apparatus represented in Fig. l is adapted for heating the air admitted tothe vapor-chamber for mixing with the hydrocarbureted air supplied to that chamber from the vaporizer N. The Waste gases, after traversing` the coil S, pass by Way of the pipe t to thevcoil T, arranged Within the air-chamber U, and finally escape by the pipe t. Air is drawn through the vessel U and passes by way of the pipe u to the vaporchamber O.

Fig. ln is an end view of the vapor-chamber,

showing the relative positions which the vaporizer N, outlet-pipe t for the Waste gases, and inlet-pipe u for hot air may assume. Instead of the air to be heated being' admitted to the vessel U and the hot gases passing through the coil T, it is obvious that the hot gases may be admitted to the vessel, While the air is caused to traverse the coil. The construction of the air-heating apparatus may be varied in other Ways without affecting the principles appertaining to this portion of my invention.

Instead of conducting the waste gases to the vapor-chamber O, and thence to the airvessel T,a port-ion of the Waste gases may be applied for heating the vapor, while another portion, or the remainder, may be conveyed to and through the air-heating vessel. By means of stop-cocks or throttle-valves the supply of gases for each of the purposes described may be varied and regulated. If preferred, the air, before reaching the vaporizer, vaporchamber, or motor-cylinder, may be heated by a lamp or other independent means, instead of by exposure to the heat conveyed by the exhaust gases.

The lamp hereinbefore referred to for use in heating the combustible mixture contained in the vaporchamber O, or for heating the air in the air-vessel T, may be of any known description adapted for burning methylated spirit or other suitable inflammable fluid; or it may consist of a burner or series of burners connected with the vapor-chamber and supplied with hydrocarbureted air therefrom. In such a case it is expedient to provide the passage from the vapor-chamber to the burner or burners with meanssu'ch as hereinbefore described for preventing back ignition, and as shown in Fig. 7.

In some instances, instead of drawing from the vapor-chamber the combustible fluid for supplying the burner or burners, I provide independent vaporizing apparatus for the purpose. Such a combined vaporizer and IOO IIO

lamp is represented in Fig. al.. V is a reservoir partially charged with liquid hydrocarbon, the portion of the reservoir above the liquid being supplied from the compressingpump attached to the engine with air at a pressure slight-ly above that of the atmosphere at an air-inlet, V 2. The top of the reservoir carries one or more mixing or vaporizing nozzles, which also serve as burners. Each mixing nozzle or burner consists of a hollow body, r, whereof the upper end is closed with a cap, c', provided with a small orifice surrounding or immediately opposite the extremity of a tube, r2. This tube is mounted in the perforated diaphragm c3, and extends downward into the liquid contained in the reservoir V. Under the influence of the pressure to which the reservoir is subjected the liquid hydrocarbon is forced up the tube r2, while air passes up the interior of the body vr through the perforated diaphragm o3 and meets the liquid issuing from the upper extremity of the tube U2, the two fluids becoming thoroughly mixed as they escape together through the orifice in the cap c'. The inflammable mixture thus formed possesses when ignited considerable heating power.

The reservoir V may, if preferred, be provided with special means for generating the requisite air-pressure, such means being adapted for manual operation or otherwise independently of the working of the engine. Such provision is convenient for use in heating the inflammable vapor previously to starting the engine.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that my invention does not relate to that class of so-called gas-engines wherein the vapor of the hydrocarbon is generated by heat applied to a vessel containing theliquid hydrocarbon. I do not heat the vessel or reservoir containing the liquid, but produce the vapor by mechanical means. I heat the vapor after it has been produced, as I have already clearly explained.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Ihe combination, in a hydrocarburetedair engine, of the exhaust-valve of the motorcylinder, the rod Q, and intermediate lever, t, for actuating said valve at or near the end of the outstroke of said rod, and a pressurereliever' comprising the rocking lever w, one

end of which takes under the said intermediate lever, and a movable body or sleeve, a', on the rod Q, said body having a projecting part, as 0c', adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the other arm of lever w, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hydrocarbureted-air engine, the combination, with the reservoir M, containing compressed air and liquid hydrocarbon, of a mechanical vaporizer, N, pipes m m, which lead the air and liquid hydrocarbon respectively, to said vaporizer, and a vapor-chamber connected with the vaporizer N, said chamber being provided with appliances for utilizing the heat of the waste gases for heating its contents, and also with a lamp for heating the contents of said chamber before the engine is started, set forth.

3. The vapor-chamber Q, provided with an exteriorly-arran ged jacket, S', open at its lower side to receive the heated gases from a lamp or like exterior' heater, and also provided with an internally-arran ged conduit for the passage of the waste gases from the engine, substantially as set forth.

4t. In a hydrocarbureted-air engine, the combination, with the reservoir M, for containing compressed air and liquid hydrocarbon, the mechanical vaporizer, and the pipes for leading the air and liquid hydrocarbon to said vaporizer, of the vapor-chamber connected with said vaporizer, the air-chamber U, connected with said vapor-chamber, and conduits for the heated gases, arranged within said vapor and air chambers, said conduits being connected to form a continuous passage for said gases, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the main sliaftD and the auxiliary shaft D', aligned therewith,

of the internal gear-wheel, CZT, loose on shaft D' and provided with one member of a double clutch, the gear-wheel d, fixed on shaft D, the pinion-shaft D?, the pinions d* and d on said shaft, meshing, respectively, with wheels d and dl, the member of the double clutch on shaft D, and the sliding member of said clutch on shaft D', substantially as set forth, whereby shaft D' maybe driven in either direction by the shaft D.

JOHN JOSEPH REVELEY llUMES. Witnesses:

G. G. M. IIARDINGHAM, JAMES W. SMALLMAN.

IOO 

